Groom's Father Collapses at Wedding, Saved by On-Site Defibrillator

A man in his 60s collapsed during his son's wedding reception at an event garden in Israel's Shfela region on Thursday evening. Guests immediately began resuscitation efforts using a defibrillator located at the venue, while Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency services provided advanced life support, including four electrical shocks, until the man's heart resumed beating and he regained consciousness.

MDA dispatchers guided bystanders by phone as they identified the presence of a defibrillator at the garden. Guests administered three electrical shocks before MDA teams arrived. Paramedics and EMTs from MDA quickly reached the scene and continued advanced resuscitation, administering further shocks until the man's pulse returned and he regained consciousness.

Following stabilization, the man, whose condition was described as stable, was transported directly to the cardiac catheterization unit at Kaplan Hospital. MDA medics involved in the rescue described the incident as complex, highlighting the swift actions of the guests and the availability of the defibrillator, which was used after MDA provided remote guidance.

"We continued advanced and prolonged resuscitation efforts, including electrical shocks, resuscitation medications, and life-saving medical treatment. After many efforts, we managed to restore his pulse and he regained consciousness," said the MDA team. "This is a particularly moving moment, as our goal is to save lives, and in this case, to allow the father to return to his family after such a dramatic event on his son's day of joy."

Magen David Adom urged the public to familiarize themselves with the locations of public defibrillators and to act quickly in cases of collapse by calling MDA's emergency hotline at 101 for instructions.